knightdom

English

Etymology

From knight +‎ -dom.

Noun

knightdom (countable and uncountable, plural knightdoms)

1. (countable) The domain of a knight
   • 2012, Elri Liebenberg, Imre Josef Demhardt, History of Cartography:

     Only a few years before his birth on May 18, 1824, in the baronial castle, the tiny but largely autonomous knightdom had been annexed by Bavaria during the Napoleonic wars.

2. (uncountable) The quality, or condition of a knight; knighthood
   • 2012, Georg G. Iggers, The German Conception of History:

     Indeed, in the 1830's, in his diary Ranke himself suggested that a world history be written which would emphasize the growth of population and stress economic and cultural activities; colonization, knightdom, the building of churches, art, and religion in the Middle Ages; agriculture and public works in the eighteenth century and the “tremendous development of industry and highways” in the nineteenth century.

3. (uncountable) The sphere or world of knights; knights collectively
   • 2012, Elaine Knighton, Fulk the Reluctant:

     The dregs of knightdom and various men-at-arms shared the tables and benches in noisome sleep.

   • 2013, Norman Mailer, The Armies of the Night:

     “Well, Norman, I'm delighted,” he said, taking Mailer's arm for a moment as if, God and knightdom willing, Mailer had finally become a Harvard dean and could be addressed by the appropriate limb.

Related terms

• knightship